Sleepyside No More
by ams71080
Summary: A sixteen-year-old Diana leaves Sleepyside Jr.-Sr. High School. She comes into her own independence and learns to deal with things in her own way, becoming a stronger person.
1. Chapter 1

_June:_

When Diana Lynch was sixteen, her parents sent her to boarding school. She'd wept and raged for weeks. Most of all, she'd asked why. After all, she had not gotten into a lot of trouble, so it couldn't be a punishment. With cool dignity, her mother told her, "It's what you do at your age and social standing."

Diana couldn't believe the words out of her mother's mouth. "Mother," she said, because Mrs. Lynch had insisted on that title, "Honey will continue to go to Sleepyside Jr.-Sr. high, and Jim graduated from there. So why can't I stay?"

Mrs. Lynch sighed. "Honey is not as graceful or tactful as she used to be. I don't want you to change for the worse. And your attitude has been worse. You aren't just spending time with Honey and Trixie anymore. Besides, it will get you away from those Beldens. They really are beneath you, dear, as are the new ones."

Diana saw red. "I can't believe you just said that. It wasn't that long ago that we were poor, poorer than they've ever been."

Mrs. Lynch sniffed indignantly. "That was then, this is now, and I'll thank you not to bring that up. It's hard enough being of new money without the reminders. The school you'll be attending-"

"Living at," Diana interrupted.

"-will teach you how you should behave. It's called Rockport Hall Preparatory Academy," she went on as if Diana hadn't said a word. "You will have to be careful in the choosing of your friends, dear. You need to choose those that will better you, not drag you down."

Diana held her mother's gaze for a long moment before turning away, slowly and deliberately going up to her room. She paused at the door, but didn't turn. "Mother, you might be able to force me to do this, but you can't force me to like it."

Diana felt that it must be a horrible nightmare. The problem being that she was awake.

Diana sat in her room trying to figure out when her parents had made the decision to send her away. She hadn't gotten in trouble really. Well, there had been a bit at the end of the school year. Her mother hadn't liked her new friends, or her new attitude, but that was typical teenage stuff. Nothing to warrant a new school, much less a boarding school. Unless it was when Mart told her he didn't want a steady relationship. After an hour of solid thinking, she decided on a course of action. _I'm going to make my parents come get me out of the school since I can't talk them out of sending me._

* * *

_September:_

Diana was being taken to the school that would become her prison for the next two years. It was Friday, and the school seemed to like giving the students the entire weekend to settle in. She had never heard of Rockport Hall Preparatory Academy, nor had she ever heard of the town of Rockport, so named after the school. The strange thing was that she wasn't nervous at all. In fact, she felt an overwhelming sense of calmness.

Once in the dorm room, she said a stoic good-bye and started unpacking. Although she had to wear a uniform for classes, evenings and weekends were free dress. When her roommate came in, Diana introduced herself calmly.

"I'm Lillianne Rhodes. Everyone calls me Lilli." As Lilli started unpacking, she told Diana that she'd been there since seventh grade. Diana listened passively, not interested in hearing the girl's life story.

"So, why did you get transferred?" Lilli asked, hoping to draw Diana into a conversation.

Diana shrugged. "My parents didn't think my friends at home were good enough for me. There was a whole group of us, but the other two girls were my best friends. Unfortunately for me, Trixie's family isn't rich. Honey is, but she's not graceful or tactful enough for my mother anymore. And my newer friends, well, forget it."

"That's harsh," Lilli commented. "My parents are the same way though. It must be a new money thing with mine."

Diana sighed. "We're new money too, so I guess it's a new money thing all around."

Lilli laughed. "At least we can whine and complain together."

Diana smiled. "I think I need a walk. Want to come with me?"

"Thanks, but no. I'm going to finish this and get organized for Monday."

Diana smiled, surprised when she found she liked Lilli. _Well, I can't use her, she's too nice._

Diana was walking around the campus, admiring the landscaped beauty, when she felt herself being followed. She turned around and gasped. Standing behind her was the most gorgeous guy she'd ever seen. "Why were you following me?" she demanded, annoyed at being startled.

He grinned at her. "Thought I'd see if you were easily spooked." He turned and jogged away, leaving Diana with her mouth hanging open.

Diana caught herself and turned to walk back to her room. On her way, she was stopped by another guy, this one a bit nerdy.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Shawn Atkinson."

"Diana Lynch," she answered.

"I saw that Josh was talking to you. You might want to be careful with him."

"Who? You mean the guy that followed me?"

"Yeah. Josh Roarke. It's said that he enjoys teasing pretty girls."

"Teasing?" Diana was confused.

Shawn nodded seriously. "Teasing, but not a kind, fun way."

"I'm going back to my room now," Diana said, tired of Shawn's riddles. _Teasing, but not in a fun way?_

Once back in her room, she found Lilli getting ready for supper. As she changed, she asked Lilli about Shawn and Josh.

Lilli laughed. "They've never gotten along. Shawn's so serious and Josh isn't. He's a player-type, too."

_I could work with that_, Diana thought, glad that her friends back home played around.

* * *

Over the next few days, Diana slowly became friends with Lilli and Shawn. She knew Shawn had a crush on her, but Diana didn't encourage him, other than a few laughing remarks. She was, however, always on the lookout for Josh, who only talked to her when she was alone. After two weeks of the same behavior, she made a point of walking alone right before supper, thinking she could use Josh in some way to get in enough trouble that she was sure to be sent home. She smiled, wondering how Josh would find the new loosely teasing Diana.

The third day of her new habit, her walking paid off. Josh was walking towards her. Diana pretended not to notice him.

"Hi, Diana. How's my sweetie today?" he asked.

Diana turned. "Oh, hi," she answered. "I'm not your sweetie, Josh."

"Want to walk to supper together?"

"Well," Diana pretended to think it over. "I guess it would be okay."

On the way to the dining hall, Josh was true to form, teasing Diana. What surprised him most was that she teased back. He'd never encountered that before. "See you," he told Diana, leaving her with Lilli and Shawn.

Diana nodded towards Josh and rolled her eyes. "He's impossible."

"What now?" Shawn and Lilli asked in one voice.

Diana shook her head in exasperation. "He thinks he has me in the palm of his hand. It couldn't be farther from the truth."

"What do you mean?" demanded Lilli. She'd never heard of anyone resisting Josh before.

Diana smiled. "I am controlling the situation. I am found where I want to be found. And I tease him back. I don't think he's used to that." She laughed, joined by her friends.

A few days later, Diana was waiting for Josh to find her. She knew he would. He always did. A few minutes later, hidden from view, he found her.

"Hi, my sweet Diana."

Diana rolled her eyes. "I'm not yours, Josh."

"All right, then. If you're not mine, I'll be yours." He knelt in front of her. "I lay my heart at your feet."

She laughed. "I think you have more use for your heart than I do. Now get up."

"Only because you have allowed it," he said formally.

"You silly goose. Stop playing around."

He stood in front of her and looked into her eyes. "You're gorgeous, Diana." He whispered her name like a prayer.

Now she knew why so many had fallen under his spell, but not her. She refused to be a toy or to stand in line. Besides, she was just using him as a way out.

_It's now or never._ Diana put her hands on Josh's shoulders and leaned close. Josh's eyes narrowed. He did not like being unsettled, and Diana unsettled him more than anything.

His eyes widened as Diana leaned closer. He froze as he felt her lips touch his. As she deepened the kiss, he found himself relaxing into it. As he kissed her back, his hand crept to the front of her shirt. When Diana felt his hand against her stomach, she ended the kiss, leaned back, and licked her lips. "That was fun," she said, and then she turned and walked back to her room to have a good laugh over it with Lilli and maybe even Shawn.

* * *

Author's notes: The characters aren't mine. Well, Lilli, Josh, and Shawn are. Thanks to RH for not suing. Thanks to Andrea, Chelsea, and El for editing. Thanks to Lindsay for encouraging me, and finding an oops! This is the first story I wrote that my Mema wasn't able to read, so this was hard. But, I dedicated to her as my biggest supporter. I love you, Mema! And I still miss you every day.


	2. What Now?

_Friday:_

Diana was awake a few minutes before the alarm clock went off, enjoying a few minutes of thinking her private thoughts.

She had been at Rockport for a month and was getting closer to Lilli. Diana had fought the friendship in the beginning, but as soon as she quit comparing Lilli to Honey and Trixie, Lilli was easy to like. The turning point had been when Lilli had made sure that she was there for Diana, no matter what.

Ever since Diana kissed Josh, he had sometimes avoided her, and sometimes looked for her. She figured he felt it would keep her off-balance. In reality, it delighted her. She now knew how much she unbalanced him. As much as she liked him, she refused to wait on him, and found another date to school functions.

Diana had settled into a tentative relationship with Shawn. They were non-exclusive, but had attended two school dances together. It was a very convenient arrangement. It reminded her of the relationship she'd had with Mart back in Sleepyside. Even though she and Shawn had shared some nice goodnight kisses, she never felt the same fire as when she'd kissed Josh. She didn?t know what it meant, but as much as she was afraid of finding out, she wanted it.

The alarm went off then, and Diana let it go until she was sure that Lilli was awake.

"Good morning," Lilli said as she stretched.

"Morning," Diana answered. "Do you want the shower first?" she asked, happy that the boarding school had a bathroom in every dorm room.

"Nah, you go ahead," Lilli answered. "I haven't figured out what I'm wearing yet."

After they were both showered and dressed, Diana and Lilli left to walk to class. On their way, Professor Richards, the headmaster, called to Lilli and asked her to arrange a meeting with him and Shawn for that afternoon. The girls talked and worried together about the meeting. Lilli was afraid that she was in trouble somehow.

"Lilli, if you were in trouble, he wouldn't have asked for Shawn to be there." Diana was afraid that she'd feel left out and abandoned by her two friends. After they parted, Diana stopped to reflect on Lilli's problem. It reminded her of Trixie and Honey. She'd gotten letters from all of the Bob-Whites, but noticed that they were just as happy without her. _The letters are mainly a formality anyway_, she thought morosely. But even that thought didn't keep her from promptly answering them.

Thinking about it, she realized that most of the fault lay with her. After Mart didn't want to become a couple, and Trixie and Honey always solving mysteries, she'd started to distance herself. She started hanging out with a new crowd and acting in ways the Bob-Whites and her parents wouldn't approve of. She didn't do anything really bad, but she did become a bit of a tease, a skill that she wasn't proud of, but helped immensely when dealing with Josh.

Diana sat through class after class until she was done for the day. As soon as the last class ended, she raced back to her dorm room to find out the news from Lilli.

Lilli was ecstatic. She positively bubbled as she told Diana that she was invited to tour a college and to experience college life. Diana smiled. She was happy for Lilli, but inside she was already feeling abandoned.

Diana's feelings of abandonment increased when Shawn told her he had the same opportunity. She told him she was happy for him, and like with Lilli, she made an excuse to leave quickly. She walked without thinking. She looked around and found herself at "her" spot.

She was only alone for five minutes before she heard approaching footsteps. She looked up at the sound of her name. Her eyes narrowed against the bright sunlight. Josh was standing right over her.

"Josh! You scared me!"

"Is something wrong? You look kind of out of it."

Diana's eyes widened innocently. "Of course not! I was just thinking. Lilli and Shawn have an amazing opportunity ahead of them. They get to go tour a college and live the college life for a couple of weeks."

Josh nodded. "I had that opportunity. I turned it down."

"Why?"

He smiled. "I just thought it would be more fun to stay with you."

She faltered at hearing that. "How could staying here with me be more fun?"

"Just wait and see," he said with a challenge in his voice.

"You're on," the playful teasing tone was back in her voice.

_Monday:_

The weekend was spent in helping Lilli get organized for two weeks, with phone calls from Shawn to double check the "to-bring" list. Finally, it was Monday, and time for Lilli and Shawn to go. Diana hugged them both and waved as they got on the bus that would take them away.

As she walked alone back to the dorm to get her books for classes, Josh caught up with her.

"Are you lonely?" he teased, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

Diana grinned. "Now how in the world could I be lonely when I'm never alone?"

Josh got serious. "Don't you know? You can be alone in a crowd of people."

"Yeah, I know. I have two sets of twins for brothers and sisters. They're much younger, but I still feel lost in the middle sometimes. I'm never alone long enough here to get lonely though. In fact, you're a big part of that," she said, returning to the comfort of their teasing relationship.

"Now," he said, "I think we should meet after classes to study. I can promise it will be fun." He wiggled his eyebrows comically.

She burst out laughing. "Okay. Meet me at the dorms and we can decide where to go." Before she could change her mind or try to guess his idea of fun, she hurried off to get her books.

After classes were finally over, Diana sighed in relief. She felt she had done well on her history test.

She had just finished changing out of her uniform into her violet T-shirt and a pair of jean shorts when Josh knocked on her door.

"Come on," he greeted. "Get your book."

Diana's nose wrinkled. "Why the rush?"

_Time for what? _she wondered.

Diana followed Josh to her favorite hidden place in the courtyard. He cut his eyes to her as he remembered the kiss she had given him, and she pretended not to notice. They sat down on the grass and studied, quizzing each other until the shadows started to fall.

"It's getting dark. I guess I should be getting back to my room," Diana said, ending the study session.

"No, you shouldn't," Josh told her. "Curfew isn't until ten, and we have time to plan our fun."

She felt a flutter of nervous anticipation as she asked boldly, "Just what did you have in mind?"

He crawled over to the bushes and pulled out three bags.

Diana laughed when she saw what was in the bags. "Toilet paper? What are we going to do? Restock the bathrooms?"

Josh laughed. "Of course! How could I have anything else in mind?"

"Seriously, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to wait until about nine-thirty, and then we're going to toilet-paper the headmaster's house," he said with a contagious grin.

She stared at him for a moment, and then started laughing.

_Tuesday:_

The headmaster wasn't pleased with the new decorations to his home. He was less pleased with the fact that there were no clues to find out who had done it.

Professor Richards was so unhappy about it he called a school-wide assembly.

"Students of Rockport Hall Preparatory Academy. I awoke this morning to find my entire house, front and backyards toilet-papered."

Everyone snickered at that comment.

He continued, "I will find the responsible party or parties, and they will be placed on restriction. That is all."

That evening, Diana and Josh again studied until dark. This time, she crawled over to the bushes.

"Plastic wrap? Are we helping the kitchen staff with the leftovers? Although I can't imagine why they'd want to save them," he muttered.

She flashed a wicked grin. "You know the bathrooms in the class buildings?"

He nodded uncertainly.

"Well," Diana said as she idly caressed his arm, "We're going to put this over the toilet bowls. You'll make sure that no one's in the guys' bathroom, and I'll make sure the girls' bathroom is empty. I know it's a bit childish, but it still gets someone every time."

Josh laughed as he imagined the huge mess this prank could make and vowed to use his dorm bathroom at all times from now on.

_Wednesday:_

There was another school-wide assembly. Professor Richards was livid.

"Another prank was pulled last night. The school bathrooms, not the dorm bathrooms, have gotten very messy."

He had to pause to let the laughter ease.

"The janitors are still working. If another incident happens, the whole school will be put on restriction. That is all."

That afternoon, Josh and Diana decided to hold it on the pranks. The last thing they needed was for everyone to be mad at them for pranks. They lay back on the grass and watched the clouds.

"So," Josh asked. "Did you leave a boyfriend at home?"

For a brief moment, a shadow crossed Diana's face. "Of course," she said flippantly. "I left dozens of guys."

He sensed that he wasn't going to get a straight answer from her and tried another direction. "Have you heard from your family or friends?"

Diana laughed. "What's with all the questions? I just want to have a good time." With that, she rolled over, gave him a teasing peck on the lips, and ran.

He gasped and then jumped up to chase her. He just hoped he could catch her.

Author's Notes: Thanks to some wonderful editors! El, Julie, and Patte. Any mistakes left are entirely Andrea's and Chelsea's faults by being to busy to edit presently. Nahh, they're mine. Thanks to Lindsay and Teresa for their encouragement in following this story. I've never been to boarding school, so all my info came from a friend of mine. Thanks, Caysie!


	3. Home for Christmas

Home for Christmas

Halloween was a low-key affair at Rockport Hall Preparatory Academy. Diana had enjoyed the trick-or-treat booths her school did for the children in the town. But that was over. She'd stayed at school through Thanksgiving, with other students who didn't go home. Although she didn't hate the school and had made some friends, she'd still been angry that her parents had sent her.

She'd be going home for Christmas holidays in just three weeks. Her mother wanted her to invite her new friends home. Diana had been brooding about whether she would, or even should.

Without realizing it, she had been pacing in the room she shared with Lilli. Lilli came in and knew something was wrong with Diana.

"What's troubling you?" Lilli asked softly.

"Christmas holidays. I know they're not for three more weeks, but my mother wants me to invite you, Shawn, and Josh home with me. I'd love to have you come," she hastened to add, not wanting to hurt Lilli's feelings. "I'm just not sure how Shawn and Josh will fit in with the group at home."

Lilli nodded, understanding immediately what was wrong with Diana. "Don't you think it's time you told me what happened at home before you came here?"

Diana took a deep breath and decided Lilli was right. "You can't tell anyone else," she begged. "It's still embarrassing."

"No one will hear it from me," Lilli assured her.

Diana nodded and began to tell her story. "I told you there was group of us." Diana went to her bedside table and took a picture of the BWG's out of her drawer. "We called ourselves the Bob-Whites of the Glen, or BWG's for short. My club jacket is in the closet. You've seen it. Anyway," she pointed at each member as she named them. "This is Trixie. She's a co-president. She and I were best friends from kindergarten until about seventh grade, when my dad became a millionaire. This is her brother Mart. I had a huge crush on him, and thought it was mutual. This is Brian. Trixie and Mart's oldest brother. He's in college now. This is Honey. She taught me that having a lot of money didn't mean I had to change everything about myself. Here's her adopted brother Jim. He was a runaway. And here's Dan, member number seven. He was a juvenile delinquent and belonged to a gang before the New York City judge found his uncle."

"Okay," Lilli said. "I now know who they are, but what happened? I can see that you've been hiding a lot of pain. Did any of your friends cause it?" She looked angry for Diana at the thought.

"Not too badly. And not on purpose. This is Brain and Jim's second year of college. Mart and Dan are seniors, and Honey and Trixie are juniors like us. I decided that I was mature enough to have a boyfriend, so I told Mart how I felt. He kindly and gently told me that he thought of me as a special friend, but not a girlfriend." She sighed heavily. "I was crushed. If I hadn't been waiting for him, I could have just about any guy I wanted. I don't mean that in a conceited way at all, but it's true. I wished I had someone to talk to, but Honey and Trixie were so busy missing Brian and Jim, and solving mysteries, that they didn't have much time for me. I didn't come right out and say that I needed a friend either, so it's not their fault that they missed the cues. I started distancing myself emotionally from my friends. Dan noticed and tried to talk to me, but I didn't want to discuss his best friend with him, you know? So I started hanging around with other people, not the best people. The group I chose wouldn't know how to be true friends if they looked it up in the dictionary. They were just out for a good time. That was what I thought I wanted. I ended up getting a reputation of a tease. The last straw was that I became smart-mouthed with my parents. That caused a lot of trouble. I spent the last two months of school almost continuously grounded for things. Once for even coming home drunk. So that's my story. I don't know how I should act if I see anyone, and I don't know what they'd think if they saw how I am with Josh. My friends may think I've reverted." Diana looked out the window as she finished.

Lilli hugged her roommate. "I'll be glad to come home with you, if even just to be a buffer. And if you invite the guys, I don't think it would upset anyone, unless Mart gets jealous. But that would be his fault. He let you go, after all. And you've gotten over him. As for your teasing relationship with Josh, anyone can look at it and see that it's a friendly thing. No big deal. You two tip-toed around each other. Now you're really and truly friends, and even Josh and Shawn are friends now. We may not be as big a group as the one you left, but I think you're lucky to find another group of friends. Not everyone has that. I don't really have friends at home because I don't really know anyone my age there since I'm always here. You've got the best of both worlds. It's your decision if you want to bring them together. I'll understand if you decide not to. You won't hurt my feelings. So don't trouble trouble 'til trouble troubles you." They shared a laugh.

"I do want you to come, and I'll ask the guys too. I just hope that both groups get along. The Bob-Whites aren't used to personalities like Josh's!" The girls giggled again.

_Two weeks later:_

Diana was getting more nervous about taking her friends home with her. Lilli was packed and ready, and Shawn and Josh had promised to be ready on time. She had received letters from Honey and Trixie and written them back with the news. They wrote back, sounding excited about meeting them. Diana was packing to keep her mind off her nervousness. Lilli was attending a study group, so she didn't have anyone to take her mind off things that could go wrong. She jumped when the phone rang. She grinned as she talked to the person on the other end. Throwing everything she had been holding into her suitcase, Diana dashed out of the room.

On the steps to the fountain in the quad, she met up with Josh, Lilli and Shawn. She laughed delightedly as her friends unpacked a surprise picnic.

"I thought you were supposed to be with your study group," she said to Lilli.

Lilli laughed. "And leave you pacing enough to wear a path in our lovely carpet? I don't think so! But since these two birdbrains couldn't see any difference in the way you've been acting, I convinced them that this was exactly what you need."

"Also," Shawn told her, "You could tell us what we will be doing and what's expected of us."

Josh gave Shawn a Look. "What we'll be doing sounds fun to hear, but what's expected of us? There's something more than manners?"

Diana rolled her eyes at the guys that she knew argued more out of fun than anything else. "From the letters I've gotten from Honey and Trixie, we'll be plenty busy. We'll leave from here on Saturday morning, get home in the afternoon, and have that day to unpack and just be there. There will be plenty of time for riding and skating. There's even going to be a dinner at the Beldens'."

"Wow, that sounds like a lot, but I know it won't be too much," Lilli commented. "Will we at least have time to meet your brothers and sisters?"

Diana nodded. "I figure that I can spend a lot of time with them, especially after you leave. I will spend some time with them while you're there. You can keep me company, ride, or hang out in the game room while I'm with them."

There were nods all around.

_One week later:_

The school was half deserted by the time the Lynch limo showed up. The driver got out to put the bags in the trunk and hold the door open for the teens. "I'm sorry, Miss Diana. I had to replace the fan belt before I left. Somehow, it was broken."

Once away from Rockport, Diana noticed that they were getting much closer to her home in Sleepyside and started playing with her hair, twirling it around on her fingers. Lilli and Josh started teasing her about the name of her hometown while Shawn looked out the window, studying the town itself.

Diana gasped as they pulled up to the house. Standing on the steps were the BWG's to welcome her home.

Diana forgot her nervousness upon seeing the welcoming smiles of her friends. Even Brian and Jim had made it home to welcome her. She was out of the car almost before it stopped and in a group hug with her friends. All were laughing and chattering so much that Diana almost forgot about her boarding school friends, who were standing by the limo. As she caught a glimpse of them, she called for them to come over so she could introduce them.

She disentangled herself from the Bob-Whites and made the introductions, starting with, "This is Lilli. She's my roommate. This is Shawn. He's really smart and really serious, although we're trying to cure him of that." Shawn laughed at Diana's words. "And this is Josh. He's a horrible tease, but we like him anyway." She then set out introducing her Bob-White friends. "This is Trixie, our junior Sherlock, and Honey, our Dr. Watson. This is Brain and Mart, Trixie's brothers. Here's Jim, Honey's brother. And this is Dan." The next few minutes were spent in confusion, with everyone saying hi to each other.

"Your friends will be staying for the night, so don't you think you could steal a few minutes to say hello to your parents?" a cool voice said.

Diana stiffened and walked over to her parents, sedately hugging her mother with a low and hugging her father with a little more enthusiasm. "Hello, Mother, Daddy. How are you?"

"We're better now that you're home," Mr. Lynch said.

"Yes, we really did miss you," Mrs. Lynch answered.

"Thank you, it's nice to be home," Diana replied, somewhat awkwardly.

"You can see the twins later. For now, why don't you show your friends to their rooms? Everyone's staying," her mother suggested.

Diana nodded. "Come one, everyone. You can put your things away and we'll have a snack."

"We've already put our things away," Trixie told her. "But Honey and I will help you and Lilli, and we'll send the boys to help Josh and Shawn."

Once everyone had unpacked, they met in the dining room. "Wow!" everyone said in one voice, looking at the 'snack.' There was a full vegetable tray, a fruit tray, a chocolate cake, a plain cheesecake, and sodas on the table. An extra look showed ranch and bleu cheese dips for the vegetables, and caramel and yogurt dips for the fruits.

True to form, Josh was his normal self. "Shall I fix my ladies their plates?" Diana and Lilli laughed while Honey and Trixie looked bewildered.

"Go on and fix your own plate, Josh. I think we can handle it," Diana told him, trying hard not to look at Lilli, for she could hear Lilli's giggles plainly.

After eating, the large group went to the game room. Dan started playing a video game, and, taking Dan up on his offer, Josh joined him. Shawn was talking to Lilli when Diana, Honey, and Trixie joined them. Brian, Jim, and Mart were playing pool after everyone else turned down the general invitation.

"Hey you two," Diana interrupted Shawn, "What are you doing by yourselves?"

"Just wondering when Josh will grow up," Lilli joked.

"That'll never happen," Diana said. "Besides, he's fun the way he is."

"He makes me a bit uncomfortable," Honey commented.

Trixie nodded. "He's not what we're used to," she agreed.

Diana and Lilli looked at Shawn for explanations. "He's just having fun," he said. "He's not too serious about anything. He thinks life is an adventure. He also just likes teasing people, especially pretty girls. In truth, the only time that gets him in trouble is when girls start to think he's serious about them. If more girls were like Diana, there wouldn't be as many hurt feelings and trouble."

"Like Diana? What does he mean by that?" Trixie looked at Diana sharply.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Nothing bad. Just that when he teases me, I tease back. No big deal, Trixie, so get that disapproving look off your face."

"Okay," Honey interrupted before an argument could start. "I think I can deal with that. What's your story, Shawn? You're nothing like Josh, so I can't believe you're really friends with him."

Shawn smiled. "At the beginning of the school year, you'd be right. We weren't friends. But then he met Diana and she took him down a peg or two by not falling for him. I became friends with Diana and Lilli and I were already friends. When Josh started hanging around Diana more, he became a friend to all of us."

Honey smiled too. "It's great when things like that happen. Lilli, how did you and Diana become friends? I know from past experience that being roommates doesn't mean automatic friendship."

Lilli shrugged. "We just seemed to click. We have a lot in common. There's not much more to it than that. There's just one thing we don't have in common that I'm jealous of. I don't have a great group of friends at home. I don't have any friends at home. I'm always at school, and in the summers, there are family vacations, so how could I make any?"

Diana slung an arm around Lilli's shoulder. "Mi casa es su casa," she said. "And my friends are yours."

The group was then called to dinner. After eating and watching A Charlie Brown Christmas with the twins, they decided to call it a night.

_Sunday:_

Diana and Lilli awoke first. After taking showers, they decided to see about breakfast, and met Josh and Shawn in the hall on the way to the kitchen.

"This is just like school," Lilli commented.

"Except it's a lot warmer getting to the food," Josh joked. "Your friends are pretty great. Dan's cool. And Honey and Trixie are hot."

"Don't get any ideas, Josh," Diana told him in a mock stern voice. "Honey and Trixie are unofficially unavailable."

"Don't worry about it, my sweet Diana. You'll always be first in my heart." Josh winked.

Diana laughed. "Why, Josh. I wasn't worried a bit!"

A few hours later, everyone had eaten, showered, and readied themselves for the day. Brian and Jim grabbed the picnic baskets the Lynch's cook prepared. The group decided to separate and meet at the Wheelers', with Diana, Lilli, Josh, and Shawn riding and the others in the Bob-White station wagon.

Right before leaving, Terry ran outside stopped the group.

"Diana!" He yelled. "Why did the turkey cross the road?"

"I don't know. Why?" Diana yelled back.

Terry shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It got run over anyway."

The teens laughed and Diana sent Terry back inside to at least get a coat.

Once at the Wheelers' stables, they got a surprise. Ben Riker was saddling up Thunder. Diana performed more introductions.

As Josh was walking around inspecting horses, Diana got a wicked idea. She resolved to talk to Bobby as soon as possible. Soon, the eleven teens set off on a ride. Diana was humming, and soon the other three girls picked up on it. They all started singing softly, increasing their volume as the guys joined in the song. Jingle Bells could be heard before the group was seen.

After a brisk ride through the preserve, the horses were returned to the stable, except for Sunny and the other Lynch horses, which were left in the corral. They walked to the lake for a bit of ice skating.

After skating, a bonfire was built to help warm everyone up and the subject of funny holiday memories came up. Lilli could barely speak as she told her story. "The last time we had a holiday dinner at home, my aunt, uncle and cousins came. The cook had fixed the turkey and was so proud of its presentation. My cousin Ryder, who was thirteen at the time, put a bottle rocket in it when the grace was almost over. When my father went to carve it, the turkey exploded." She stopped to reign in her laughter. "I swear, the cook cried so hard she could barely tell us that she was quitting her job. Now, we always have holiday dinners at a restaurant." Lilli had to wipe tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Now, why didn't I ever think of that one?" Ben jokingly asked the group.

"Don't!" cried out Honey, Trixie, and Jim.

Before the group knew it, it was time to put out the fire and go home. Mart, after learning that he was interested in electronics, asked Shawn to come over to help him with a project. Shawn agreed and Diana jumped on the chance to invite herself, Lilli, and Josh as well.

_Monday:_

The girls again awakened before the guys. Diana had shared her plan with Lilli and both girls were giggling when Josh and Shawn came down for breakfast.

"Is my shirt on inside-out?" Shawn asked nervously.

"Not this time," Josh answered. "Either they're crazy or they have a plan that doesn't include us."

Shawn pretended to think this over. "Can I choose 'C'? Both of the above?"

Diana, Lilli, and Josh immediately felt their jaws drop. "You made a joke," gasped Diana.

"When did you learn to do that?' Lilli asked.

"Way to go," cheered Josh.

Shawn simply blushed and hid behind his breakfast.

After eating, the four teens hurried to ready themselves to go to the Beldens'.

Once they were inside and warmed up with Mrs. Belden's homemade hot chocolate and rum cake, Mart and Shawn disappeared to work on the mysterious project.

Diana once again had that 'look' on her face as she called Bobby over to talk to him. She winked at Lilli, who immediately started a conversation to distract everyone from noticing that Bobby and Diana were talking seriously.

No one saw Bobby rush upstairs.

Mart and Shawn had been working companionably in Mart's room. Shawn was advising Mart how to make the project simpler and go more smoothly.

"What are you building this for anyway?' Shawn finally asked.

"A few years ago, Ben constructed Bobby a 'par-squirrel' and Bobby has chattered about nothing but, even though now he comprehends it wasn't an authentic creature. I was contemplating if I manufactured this automaton for him, he'll refrain from conversing about that moth-eaten portion of fluff."

Mart's love of large and unusual words was beginning to wear thin on Shawn. He just rolled his eyes and said, "Okay. You want your younger brother to get more excited about something you give him than the neighboring rich family's cousin. Got it."

Mart gave Shawn a scathing look, but went back to work. After fifteen minutes went by, Mart couldn't stop himself. "Just what is Josh and Diana's relationship?"

Shawn looked up briefly, conveying his confused expression. "Nothing. They're just friends."

"Then what's with all of the flirting?"

Shawn wrinkled his brow, wondering what it was that he didn't know. "That's just what they do. They tease each other, they have fun, and they're hardly ever serious together."

Mart looked at Shawn with narrowed eyes. "Are you with Diana?"

Shawn laughed and shook his head. "Diana and I are friends, just like Diana and Josh are friends."

Mart somehow felt very unsatisfied. "Well, I think I can do the rest of it. Thanks for the help."

Shawn nodded. "It was fun. I enjoy building things. Don't touch that--"

"Ouch!" Mart had just gotten shocked by a wire he shouldn't have touched.

In the kitchen, Bobby and Diana were careful to be quiet as Bobby got an object out of the freezer. "Be careful," Bobby whispered. "The toe broke off last time I used him in a prank."

"Bobby, what would I do without your rubber frog and your smarts?"

"Ask Larry or Terry," replied Bobby with a grin.

Diana giggled. Winking at Bobby, she called, "Josh! Could you come here for a minute?"

Bobby nodded and left the room.

Josh appeared in the doorway. "You called, my pretty?"

She pouted. "I need a hug."

Josh opened his arms. Diana closed her eyes to hide the mischievous glint she knew was there. Thankful he had layered up and had a large sweatshirt on, she slyly dropped the object into Josh's waistband. She quickly moved her hands up, as if rubbing his lower back had always been her plan.

She kept her arm around his waist as they walked into the living room together, unaware that Mart had seen the hug.

Josh started to sit down on the couch when he suddenly jumped up. "There's something in my pants! It's cold and wet! Get it out! What did you do, Diana?"

Diana was laughing too hard at the sight of Josh jumping around to answer. Lilli had run into the kitchen to hide her giggles.

"Why don't you go to the bathroom and get whatever it is out?" Bobby asked sensibly.

With a final glare at Diana, Josh hopped to the bathroom. Within five minutes, he came back and threw a half defrosted plastic frog he'd finally succeeded in getting from his pants at Diana. "I will get you back," he threatened.

"I'll be looking forward to it," Diana said, laughing and not noticing Mart's glowering expression.

Thursday:

The rest of the week flew by, and before anyone knew it, it was time to go to Dinner at the Beldens' house.

It was a lively affair. When Diana and her guests arrived, Bobby was wailing. "Mart! You broke the remote!"

"I did not, rapscallion!"

'Did nots' and 'did toos' were soon heard. Trixie finally had enough of it. "The remote is not broken," she shouted, stepping between her brothers. "It just needs new batteries."

Without looking, she tossed the remote over her shoulder to Brian, who neatly caught it and replaced the batteries.

Once dinner was finished and the kitchen was clean, Mrs. Belden gathered Lilli, Josh, and Shawn around for hugs.

"Since this is the last time you'll be visiting, I want you three to know that I'm very glad to have gotten the chance to know you, and as far as I'm concerned, you're as much part of the family as the Bob-Whites are. We have very stretchy walls, and any time you want to come back for a visit, let me know." Mrs. Belden smiled at each teen.

"Thanks, Mrs. Belden," Lilli said, getting choked up. "That's really nice of you to say."

Josh gave Mrs. Belden an extra hug. "That's really great of you. Thanks a lot. I may just take you up on that. After all, you're such a hot mama!"

Mrs. Belden laughed, knowing Josh was teasing again to cover up how touched he really felt.

Shawn nodded. "I agree with both of them, except for the hot mama part. I mean, you're pretty, but...Aww man!" He blushed and finished his thought. "We may just see you again soon."

At the Manor House, they found that Celia had left enough snacks out to last all night long. Everyone talked and laughed and cemented friendships. Even Ben joined in. Invitations to visit each other flew from every mouth.

Friday:

No one had slept for more than two hours when Miss Trask came in.

"Good morning," she said. "Jeeves will be arriving in about half an hour to take Diana, Lilli, Josh, and Shawn to the train station."

Once packed and showered, the small group hurried to the door to await the limo. The Bob-Whites and Ben lined up to say good-bye to their new friends. There were handshakes for the guys and hugs for the girls.

After hugging Honey and Trixie, Josh whooped. "I've actually hugged all three Bob-White babes!"

Everyone laughed, knowing not to take him seriously by now, although Mart, Brian, and Jim's laughter was a little unsure and forced.

At the train station, Diana and Lilli cried a little as they all hugged each other and promised to see each other at school after the New Year. Luckily, all three trains were due within five minutes of each other, or there would have been a lot more tears.

Diana arrived home, still wiping her eyes from the good-byes. The twins were in the nursery, which was now an oversized playroom since they were getting so big. And the Lynch parents were in the living room.

"Diana!' called Mrs. Lynch. "Could you come here please?"

Diana found her parents smiling. She stood a bit straighter. "Yes, Mother?"

"We have an early Christmas present for you. We would like to tell you that we miss you very much while you're at school. You're early present is that you don't have to go back if you don't care to."

"But, didn't you pay for the whole year?" Diana was stunned.

"Well, yes, we did," Mr. Lynch answered. "But right now, we don't care. We've enjoyed having you home."

"When do I have to know for sure?" she asked her parents.

"Just let us know by New Year's Day," her father answered.

Diana turned and wandered in a daze up to her room, shutting the door softly behind her. "Why do they have to give me the choice when I'm actually enjoying the school and the friends I have there?"

This is a submission for Moon-Spinner's Ho Ho Ho Project.

Author's Notes: Not my characters, blah, blah, blah. Thanks to Lindsay and Mal for looking this over for me. I didn't want to overburden El and Julie with something so close to the holidays as I know they're both way busy. Merry Christmas


	4. Di Hard

Di Hard

Diana had made her decision and was at Rockport preparing for the Spring Beauty Pageant. She'd been a little worried because Lilli was also entering. Lilli assured her that she mostly just entered for fun, and because there was a big party for all the contestants and the escorts afterwards. Josh was an escort and had talked Shawn into joining him.

"Just watch out for Cassandra," Lilli had warned. "She's a real piece of work!"

"What do you mean?" Diana asked. "Who's Cassandra?"

Lilli snorted. "She's only the girl who thinks she's the gift to everyone and everything. You're gorgeous, and you could win this. Cassandra won't like it if you do. She'll try her best to make your life a living hell."

Diana laughed. "I could deal with that."

Lilli nodded firmly. "I'd help you too. I hope you win."

"Thanks, Lilli," Diana said. "I hope you do too."

* * *

Later that week at a pageant rehearsal, Diana met Cassandra. There was an immediate dislike between the two. Diana had smiled and wished Cassandra good luck in the pageant. Cassandra's eyes narrowed at this beautiful girl who was also nice, a major flaw to Cassandra's way of thinking. "Diana is your name, right? Anyway, you can't possibly hope to beat me. I know you're new money. There are some things that are bred into old money families that really can't be taught, you know." Cassandra had made this speech and strutted into the wings.

Diana and Lilli often could be found complaining about her in the seating area backstage.

"Why should we care who she's bred from?" Lilli asked. "The way she walks about you'd think she was trying to balance her family tree on the end of her nose, just so everyone could have an equal chance to be unimpressed."

"Why is she so mean?" Diana wondered.

"Cause she can be," Lilli whispered.

"That girl is a major problem," Shawn joined in.

"You're just saying that because she said you weren't up to her standards when she found out you were supposed to escort her," Diana teased him.

After leading Cassandra down the catwalk and back, Josh joined the group. "I can't stand her!"

Diana laughed. "If you'd been a cake, there'd only be Josh-crumbs left."

"Not even crumbs would be left," Lilli added, giggling.

At that moment, Cassandra walked up to the group. "Josh, I really don't think your steps matched mine. We need to try again. By the way, Diana, I heard what you said. I personally think you're jealous. You'll never be as pretty as I am. And Josh will never see you as anything but a friend."

As Cassandra dragged Josh away, Lilli turned to Diana and Shawn. "That's it! That girl's going down."

Diana slowly smiled. "I even have some ideas."

* * *

The morning of the pageant dawned sunny. Diana and Lilli woke up to a scream that echoed throughout the girls' building and knew Cassandra had found her surprise. They shared a mystified smile, wondering if Cassandra would be able to talk after they heard her scream from two floors above her room.

"I can't believe you drew 'love, hate' tats on her knuckles with a permanent marker!" Diana whispered to Lilli.

"I can't believe she didn't wake up," Lilli whispered back.

"I can't believe you know how to pick locks," Diana rejoined, right before the girls gave into their giggles.

While getting dressed backstage, another scream could be heard.

"What was that?" Lilli asked aloud.

"Vaseline in toes of shoes," Diana whispered.

"What am I going to do?" Cassandra wailed, quickly trying to wipe the Vaseline out of her shoes. "It's not coming out!"

The start of the show was announced at that moment. Lilli was the first contestant. Cassandra put her shoes on and hoped for the best.

As Cassandra was wobbling her way across the stage, she accidentally stepped out of her shoe and fell.

Then it was Diana's turn.

An hour later, Diana was announced that year's winner. Cassandra, after recovering her fall and borrowing some shoes, was first runner-up. Lilli surprised herself by winning third place.

Diana was dancing with Lilli, Josh, and Shawn at the after-party when Cassandra came storming up to her.

"Enjoy it now, princess. It won't last long," she hissed. Then the offensive girl stomped away.

Diana laughed. "Why is it that the worst people are the most melodramatic?"

No one laughed with her. "Diana, she could do it. Don't take her threat too lightly," Lilli warned.

* * *

The next day in math class, Diana took her homework out of her folder and placed it neatly on her desk. Then, she went to sharpen her pencil. Lilli had just sat down when Diana returned and gasped. "My homework answers are erased!"

Diana looked around angrily. She saw Cassandra sitting in the first row. Cassandra turned and twittered her fingers in a wave at Diana.

Lilli leaned over. "Copy mine," she answered. "I'm better at math than you are anyway."

"Thanks," Diana whispered back, already writing. "Just one question. How is it that I'd never even met that girl before the pageant and now she's in some of our classes?"

"You're just lucky, I guess," Lilli answered, giggling. "No, really, you probably never noticed her because she's a brown-noser and so not someone you'd be interested in knowing."

As it turned out, Diana got a perfect score thanks to Lilli's generous math-brain. Cassandra stomped out as soon as class was over.

* * *

A few days later, Professor Richards, accompanied by two security guards, arrived at the door of the room Diana and Lilli shared. Groggily looking at the alarm clock, Diana saw that it was an hour before normal wake-up time. Grabbing her robe and making sure Lilli was doing the same, Diana opened the door.

"Professor Richards! Um, can we help you?" she asked.

The normally distinguished headmaster looked very worried. "We've had a complaint get lodged against you, Diana. Would you and Lilli please stand by the door and let the guards do what they need to do?"

Baffled, Diana and Lilli did as they were asked. "What are you looking for?" Lilli asked.

"We've had a student tell us in confidence that Diana had drugs in her room," he answered.

"That's insane!" both girls exclaimed.

After a thorough search, the headmaster had to agree. "Diana, I believe you, but we did have to check. Although it may sound unfair, you have been placed on probation. We have to take these kinds of accusations seriously."

"May I at least know who accused me?" Diana asked.

Professor Richards shook his head. "I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you, but this student came to me in confidence. Don't worry, though. This whole episode will be kept quiet. No one but the faculty knows it happened. And, Diana, every one of your teachers told me that you wouldn't do such a thing. Oh, and of course, your accuser will be watched closely as well."

"We understand. Thanks," Lilli said quickly, before Diana could say anything else.

Once the door was closed, Diana demanded to know how she could be put on probation without proof.

"This is a very upscale boarding school. If you find your accuser, you could get into a fight, and they could expel you without a warning. That way, nothing gets out to the parents of the students."

* * *

Later that morning, on their way to class, Diana and Lilli were stopped by Cassandra.

"I heard you had some early morning visitors," the snotty girl said, her voice full of false concern and even faker innocence. "I hope they didn't find anything that would get you expelled. Oh, dear." Cassandra's eyes widened as if the thought just occurred to her. "That means that I'd get crowned as Spring Queen in your place. Hmm, that's something to think about."

"How'd you hear that?" demanded Diana.

Cassandra just laughed and glided on her way.

"I bet she stayed awake all night just so she wouldn't miss it. She was probably standing in the hall."

Diana agreed with Lilli's guess. She'd noticed the not-quite-concealed dark lines under Cassandra's eyes herself.

Throughout the rest of the day, the girls kept their eyes and ears open. No one else seemed to know about the early morning search.

"She must have been the one to make the false report," Diana whispered at dinner.

"You're not getting any arguments from me, girl," Lilli responded.

"When I'm through with her, she'll never bother me again," Diana vowed.

"What are you going to do?" Lilli wondered, right as Josh and Shawn joined them.

"I'm still working on it."

"Working on what?" Shawn asked, focusing on Diana's narrowed eyes.

"A way to get Cassandra to leave me alone, once and for all," Diana answered.

"What did she do this time?" Josh wanted to know.

Lilli brought the guys up to speed while Diana brooded and worked on a plan. She had many ideas, but was searching for just the right one.

"Oh! Idea!" she squeaked excitedly. An instant later, she was running out of the cafeteria, leaving Lilli, Josh, and Shawn staring after her.

"Josh," Lilli called, breaking the silence left in Diana's wake. "Why don't you chase her down, if you can catch her, and see what that was all about? Shawn and I will clean up here."

Josh didn't need to hear anymore. He jumped up and raced after Diana, hoping he could find her at "their" spot. Sure enough, Diana was in the little clearing, hopping from one foot to the other, trying to figure out how to put her plan into action. She saw Josh come through the shrubbery and ran up to him. She was so wound up that she kissed him square on the lips.

Josh deepened the kiss before he ended it. "What was that for?" he asked breathlessly.

"I know just how to deal with Cassandra. The only thing is that I'll need your help, and I'm not sure you'll want to do what I'm going to ask."

Josh sighed. "I'll do anything to help you."

"I was hoping you'd say that. After all, Cassandra has a major crush on you. It should be easy for you to follow the plan."

He was exasperated. "What is the plan?"

"Oh! I forgot to tell you, didn't I? It's only fair that you have the right of refusal, okay?"

"Okay. Now are you going to tell me or not?"

"This is it. You ask her out. Once she thinks you two are together, it'll be time."

"Time for what?" Josh was clearly annoyed.

"Time to let her know she can't go around messing with people and trying to ruin their lives."

"What is my part of that?"

"You just follow my lead." Diana smiled a chillingly bewitching smile.

He nodded and kissed her again. "For luck that I get through this," he answered her unasked question.

* * *

Diana and Josh got into a loud argument the next morning at breakfast. Only four students knew it was staged.

"We're supposed to be just friends! If I'm not affectionate enough for you, go rent an affectionate friend! I know a lot of girls would date you for your family's money!" Diana said loudly, giving the hint to end it.

"If that's the way you want it, fine," Josh exclaimed as he stomped away.

He slumped into a chair at an empty table. As Diana had known she would, Cassandra took the cue to practically slither over to him, causing everyone to start whispering about this strange event.

That next weekend, word was all over the school about the latest hot couple, Josh and Cassandra.

"Nuh-uh! You so cannot like anchovies on pizza!" Cassandra swatted Josh's arm in disbelief.

"I do!" Josh laughed. "I'm the only one I know that likes them."

Cassandra suddenly became flirtatious. "You won't order them on our date tonight, right? I mean, you can't kiss me with fish-breath."

Josh inwardly shuddered.

At the full-to-bursting pizza parlor, Josh strategically chose a booth right in front of the one he knew that Diana, Lilli and Shawn occupied.

_Diana had better uphold her promise that this is the last time_, he thought.

Cassandra obviously felt comfortable with her hold on Josh. "Josh, I'm so happy you dumped those three losers you were hanging out with. I mean, really. Lilli is such a goody-two-shoes. And Shawn is such a nerd. We won't even touch on what's wrong with Diana!"

Josh mentally stiffened. "Lilli is a very nice person and Shawn is really smart. That doesn't make them bad. And just what is wrong with Diana?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Please. That girl thinks the sun rises and sets on her alone. She thinks she's something because she's got money. She's terribly conceited."

He opened his mouth to defend his friend, but was beat to it.

"Hmm," a voice commented from behind Cassandra. "If I didn't know any better, I swear you were describing yourself, Cassie dear." Cassandra gasped as Diana seemingly materialized next to her. "You really should find out who's around before talking badly about people."

Cassandra recovered. "I see. You're stalking Josh because I have him now. I know you only played at being his friend to capture his interest."

"Do you want people to accept you as you are or do you want them to like you? I'm guessing you don't care how they feel as long as they bow down to you, isn't that right, your imagined highness?" Diana practically spat the words.

"I'm sure we're all challenged by your unique point of view," Cassandra said seriously.

Josh opened his mouth to defend Diana, but she waved her hand to cut him off. "You know, I'd like to see things from your point of view but I can't seem to get my head that far up my butt. I seriously hate to break it to you, Cassie, but I'm his friend because I like being his friend. I never tried to 'get' him, as you so eloquently put it. By the way, he just went out with you because I asked him to help me teach you a lesson."

Cassandra entwined her arms around Josh. "You're lying, Diana. You don't have any power over him. Isn't that right, dahling?" she crooned, turning her head to Josh.

Josh slowly unwrapped her arms from his waist. "She's not lying, Cassandra. You have been a pain." Josh went on to explain to every interested person in the building what had happened. "So we thought to teach you the same lesson Diana taught me at the beginning of the year. One that says people aren't toys and you can't treat them as such. If you don't like them, that's fine, but you don't have to try to make them miserable. Besides, you can't really believe I'd pick you over, well, just about anyone else. You're so not up to my standards."

Lilli and Shawn chose that moment to make their appearance. "It's really too bad that you pushed Diana so hard. She won't cower and hide like the rest of your minions," Shawn commented.

Cassandra turned a malicious glare on Lilli. "Lilli always has."

Lilli snorted. "No, Lilli just ignored you and stayed out of your way until you gave her no choice."

The four friends all put their arms around each other, leaving a very humiliated Cassandra stammering behind them, and everyone else in the place applauding.

* * *

Author's Notes: You know the drill. Diana's not mine. I'll gladly give Cassandra away. She's not very nice. Thanks to my editors.

**And hey, if anyone reads this, come check out www .salemacademyofmagic .com. It's an RPG I helped found...and we would love to have bunches of new members. Check it out. ANd if you like what you see, join and invite all your friends.**


	5. Bad Parents and Insults

Bad Parents and Insults

Spring Break was upon the students at Rockport Hall Preparatory Academy. Lilli was moping around in her room after receiving a letter from her parents. She read the letter for the fifteenth time.

_Dear Lilli,_

_It was such a joy to see you over the Christmas break. I miss you so much that it pains me to tell you that you must stay at school over your Spring Break. Your father has to travel to California for business. I can't resist going along with him. Maybe your friend Diana can stay with you or you can accompany her to her parents' house. After what you've told me about them, they are the right sort, certainly the kind of whom we approve._

_Don't worry, dear. I'll buy you lots of things. See you this summer._

_Love,_

_Mother_

Lilli had a secret, one so deep she hadn't even told Diana. She freely admitted that Diana was the best friend she had, and didn't want to upset her friend with her own misery. Unfortunately, as soon as she decided to let out her emotions, Diana chose that time to come back from her math tutoring session with Shawn.

Diana walked into the room she shared with Lilli, confident that she understood the material that would be on the last test before Spring Break started the next week. She was surprised to see Lilli pacing, wearing a hole in the carpet, muttering angrily while tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Lilli, what on earth is the matter?" Diana asked gently, realizing from the mutters that her friend was angry, rather than sad.

Lilli did her best to calm down. "Nothing you need to worry about," she assured Diana.

Diana raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't tell me that. I can see that you're upset. Now tell me why."

Lilli took a few deep breaths. She felt her body steady. "I haven't been totally honest with you, Diana. The great time I had over Christmas and New Year's? Didn't happen. My parents didn't even seem to notice I was home. Our driver is the one who remembered to pick me up from the train station. Our maid is the one who welcomed me home. Our cook is the one who remembered I needed to eat. My cousin, who was in the same boat, was the only family I saw for more than five minutes at a time. My parents had even forgotten that she was there. Jill, that's my cousin, spent time with me. We had a nice time together, but I really wanted to spend time with my parents. I don't know why I even bother hoping. Every vacation when I go home, it's the same."

Diana grabbed Lilli in a surprisingly tight bear hug. "I'm sorry you have to deal with that. I've got a plan though. You'll just spend vacations with me."

Lilli gasped for breath, but with Diana still hugging her, had a difficult time. Finally, she pinched Diana in the side, the only place she could reach. "That's really nice, but I don't want to horn in on your family all the time."

Diana waved her hand as if shooing a fly away. "Oh, pish," she said in an imitation of her mother. "You could never horn in. After living together as long as we have, I think of you as a sister, only better because we're the same age. Now, you're coming home with me for Spring Break. You may even be coming home with me for summer." Diana then did something really childish. She stuck her tongue out at the picture of Lilli's parents. The action had the desired effect when Lilli laughed. "Now," Diana continued. "Tell me what had you in such fits. I know it wasn't over your Christmas Break."

Lilli sighed again. "I got a letter from my mother." She handed it over to Diana.

Diana silently read the letter, her eyes getting darker with every word. "I'm sorry, Lilli. Your mother is awful. She's worse than mine, and I thought mine was bad for a while."

Lilli just nodded silently.

"Well, there's only one thing to do," Diana informed her. "I'll just have to share my family."

At lunch the next day, Lilli chattered happily about going with Diana for Spring Break, only to stop abruptly when she glanced at Shawn and remembered his situation.

"I'm sorry, Shawn. In all my excitement, I forgot you only go home over Christmas and for the summer."

Shawn smiled at Lilli. "It's okay. My situation's different from yours. The reason I don't go home for other breaks is because of my parents' jobs, not because I feel invisible around them."

Diana was confused. "What do your parents do? I don't think you've ever told me."

"They've got government jobs. I don't know exactly what they do, but they stay pretty busy."

Diana nodded. "Then you'll just have to come with us."

"Hey!" Josh interrupted. "You can't leave me here alone with Cassandra after my blood!"

"And anything else she can get her claws on," Diana muttered, before inviting Josh as well.

Diana remembered that she really should call her mother to let her family know to expect three extra people for Spring Break. She went to the student phones, as cell phones were banned from the school. Tapping her foot, she dialed the number and waited for someone to answer. Finally, she was able to reach her mother.

"Diana, it's nice to hear from you."

"Hello, Mother. I thought I should let you know that Lilli, Shawn, and Josh will be coming home with me for the break."

"That's fine, dear, but won't their families miss them?"

Diana told her mother the short version about how Lilli's parents were traveling for business, Shawn's parents were working, and Josh had decided to stay before he knew Lilli and Shawn were invited.

Her mother agreed to host another house party and had a surprise for Diana. "Jim called me when he realized that your Spring Break and his and Brian's match up. He offered to pick you up since they're in Boston and you're in Milner. He mentioned that he'd checked the maps and found that it wouldn't be out of the way. After all, you're an hour closer than he is. Would you like to call him back to let him know your plans?"

"Thanks, Mother." After getting the number, Diana said good-bye and prepared to call Jim.

Jim answered his phone, hoping it was Diana once he saw the area code on the Caller ID. He liked having plans rather than going on the spur of the moment. Diana let him know that she was planning to bring her three friends. He agreed that it was fine and they could all fit, as his adoptive parents had given him a seven-seater SUV for his freshman year Dean's List standing. After finalizing the traveling plans, Diana said good-bye to Jim and went to find her friends.

Diana found her friends and let them know how they were getting home. Lilli was ecstatic at having a place to go. Shawn and Josh thought it was really nice of Jim to pick them up. After informing the three when Jim should be there, the group went to supper.

They had just sat down to eat when Cassandra, followed by her minion Victoria, sauntered up to them.

"Oh, poor Lilli and Shawn," Cassandra said in an obviously fake sweet tone. "Are you two staying here again this year? Do Mommy and Daddy still not want you to come home?"

Diana gazed at her lazily. "After meeting you, I'm now in favor of abortions for incestuous marriages."

"I know you are nobody's fool, Cassandra, but maybe someone will adopt you one day," Shawn added, making Diana promise herself that she'd congratulate him on a good comeback as well as coming further out of his shell.

Victoria took Cassandra's moment of speechlessness to lean toward Josh. "Are you staying? I could always decide to stay and keep you company."

Josh looked everywhere but where she tried to direct his eyes. "And I'd want to be anywhere near you why?"

"But Josh," Victoria pouted, "We used to have fun all the time."

Lilli, Shawn and Diana got very interested in this conversation. Even Cassandra was quiet as she waited for him to give into Victoria.

Josh sneered, reminding everyone but Diana of how he used to be. "Victoria, darling, talk is cheap, and so are you. See, there was something missing when I was hanging out with you flakes. It's called reality. You might want to visit sometime."

Victoria, who had smiled when Josh called her darling, looked like she'd been slapped by the time he finished. She was too angry to say anything as she flounced off to her table.

Cassandra's eyes narrowed on Diana. "This is your entire fault. You changed him."

Diana's eyes were a dark violet as she slowly stood and leaned her hands on the table separating her from Cassandra. "You," Diana hissed, "are a habit I'd like to kick. With both feet."

Cassandra smiled. "Aww, is Little Diana getting mad now?"

Lilli's eyes were wide as she tried to pull Diana back into her seat. Finally succeeding, she glared at Cassandra. "I used to think you were a colossal pain in the neck. Now, I have a much lower opinion of you."

"Ooh! Even Little Lilli is getting in on the action. Did you buy some insults with your new money at the same time Diana did?"

Lilli waved her hand as if Cassandra didn't matter. "Oh, go sit down. Give your mind a rest. It obviously needs it."

Just as Cassandra was about to open her mouth, Josh interrupted the tension. Knowing how his old crowd worked, he smugly let her know that he, along with Lilli and Shawn, were going home with Diana. Diana, realizing where Josh was going and that Cassandra would be green with envy over Brian and Jim, smirked and added that a couple of her friends from college were picking them up after classes the next week.

Thanks to Lindsay/Reganfan for her invaluable help. Thanks to Ryl for editing.


	6. Getting Away

Getting Away

The week before Spring Break passed slowly. Only confrontations with Cassandra and her crowd helped make time pass. Shawn really had been hanging out with Diana and Josh for too long, as a couple of his zingers really put Cassandra in her place. Diana teased him by asking if he was sure he wanted to continue to be her friend. It showed that he'd come a long way when he laughed and asked if she was the one certain. She laughed and, with Lilli, rewarded his effort of a joke with a kiss on the cheek. Shawn pretended to swoon once both girls had attached their lips to his cheeks, one on each side. Josh was very glad he had his camera with him and he snapped a photo of the silliness.

Thursday evening was spent packing and making sure everyone had everything they needed. Once everyone was packed, they went to the dining hall for a late dinner. Cassandra's crew was there in force. Most of the group ignored the four, but a few, along with Cassandra and Victoria, glared daggers at Diana.

Cassandra stood, along with Victoria, Ashleigh, and Melanie, and stalked over to the table occupied by the happy foursome.

Diana glanced up, feeling eyes on her. "Well, if it isn't Cassie and Vicky," she smiled.

"Along with Ashleigh and Melanie," Josh added. "Nice of her to bring reinforcements to come visit us, isn't it?"

Lilli snorted. "It's now equal in people."

Shawn nodded, a mock-serious expression on his face. "Too bad that if it's a verbal battle of wits they want, they're still unarmed."

Ashleigh just looked confused. "You're unarmed too, you know."

Diana nodded at Shawn. "Have I ever told you how annoying it is that you are always right?"

Shawn checked his watch. "Not in the last fifteen minutes."

"Remind me to tell you again when I'm not surrounded by the proof of evolution," she requested.

He nodded. "Will do," he said, as he jokingly saluted her.

Josh gave Lilli a little grin. "Why does she not want to tell him right now?"

Lilli sighed sadly at Josh, even as her eyes danced with amusement. "Josh, don't you remember your manners? If you're talking where other people can hear you, it's only polite to converse in ways everyone can understand so as not to rudely leave anyone out." She sounded like she'd been forced to read etiquette books a few too many times.

Cassandra and Melanie gaped at Lilli while Ashleigh and Victoria looked baffled.

Diana sighed, irritated that her appetite was ruined. "I don't have time for this. I'm going to go recheck my bags."

She left, followed by her three friends, pretending that she couldn't hear Cassandra call that she'd delayed her own departure in favor of seeing what kind of vehicle the mythical college guys that Diana mentioned drove.

Friday passed slowly. Classes seemed to be long and boring. Diana and her friends were itching to go to Sleepyside. Diana wanted to see her family, Bob-White friends, and ride Sunny. Shawn and Lilli wanted to feel like part of a family. Josh wanted to eat more of Mrs. Belden's cooking.

When the bell rang, signaling the official beginning of Spring Break, the four rushed out of class and to their rooms to grab their luggage. That done, they met near the Entrance Hall of the school.

They encountered two more of Cassandra's friends, who smiled tentatively. Lilli spoke up before Diana could. "Are you two going to be nice, or pretend to be Cassandra?"

Rachel's smile fell from her face. "I'm not sure why she's fixated on Diana. I'm sorry, but yes, we are here at her request."

Diana pulled Josh to the side while Lilli was distracting the newcomers. "What's their story?" she whispered.

Josh glanced over to make sure no one was close enough to hear. "They'd be a lot nicer without Cassandra. They're not inherently evil, but I'm sure you've noticed how Cassandra is. She rules her clique with an iron fist. They're not allowed to be nice to anyone she doesn't like. As soon as Cassandra gets within sight, they'll change how they're acting to be more like her."

Diana shook her head. "You used to be part of that group, didn't you?"

Josh noticed Cassandra approaching. "That's a story for another time. We don't have that luxury right now."

Diana nodded in agreement as she made her way back to Lilli and Shawn. Walking towards them, she noticed an SUV that was the same color as Jim's. The SUV arrived and Diana was happy to note that it was Jim in the driver's seat, along with Brian in the passenger's seat.

Cassandra must not have been paying attention, because she loudly proclaimed Diana a liar about the college guys. Jim and Brian exited the SUV in preparation to help load the luggage just in time to hear her.

"Diana!" Brian called. "Get your friends over so we can load up already!"

Cassandra's mouth dropped open at the sight of two hot guys waving and smiling at Diana. "Who are they?" she gasped, quietly so as not to be overheard.

Diana had heard her anyway. She gave a vindictive smile as she gave Cassandra the reply to her question. "The one that called for me is Brian Belden and the other is Jim Frayne, who is Matthew Wheeler's adopted son."

Cassandra's jaw hit the ground. "The Matthew Wheeler?" She seemed to collect herself and sneered. "How would your new money family know them and why would he lower himself to cart you and a nobody around? After all, I've never heard of the Beldens, so they are obviously not in the right circles."

Diana narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Wheeler's daughter is one of my best friends, along with Brian's sister. And the Beldens do travel in the right circles. Of course, any circle that does not involve you is the right one in my opinion."

Cassandra then turned to Brian and Jim, who had just walked up, and not knowing they had heard her, introduced herself.

Brain and Jim just looked at her before turning towards Diana and her friends. Everyone greeted each other and the four guys grabbed the luggage. They all walked to the SUV, leaving Cassandra steaming.

After loading the luggage, everyone piled into the vehicle, chattering excitedly about plans for Spring Break and moaning about how Sleepyside Junior-Senior High was not on the same schedule. Only Shawn and Lilli were quiet during the moaning and groaning. Shawn still felt uncomfortable in larger crowds. Lilli, who admitted that Diana was her first girl friend in years, was afraid of feeling left out when Diana met up with Trixie and Honey again.

Diana assured Brian and Jim that they could join in on any activities during school hours while Josh had fun riling up the two college sophomores with comments about how hot their sisters were and asking if it felt uncomfortable to date your best friend's younger sister.

Josh eventually ran out of steam and stretched, putting his arm around Diana, who happened to be sitting next to him. She rolled her eyes as she turned to see what Shawn and Lilli were doing. She was about to invite them to take part of the conversation when she saw that they were asleep, heads leaning against each other. She quietly snickered and turned Josh's attention to the nappers. Josh smiled and grabbed his camera, quickly snapping a shot.

Three hours later, the SUV was pulling into the Lynch driveway. Brian and Jim got out to help unload luggage while making sure there were no mix-ups. They declined an invitation to stay for supper in exchange for bringing the four students home, citing a need to get to their own homes.

After unpacking for the week-long stay and freshening up, the four teens went to properly greet Diana's family before supper. Diana was surprised that her twin brothers and twin sisters were eating at the formal dining table. They usually still ate in kitchen or playroom, which had been converted from the nursery. Diana and Lilli entertained Elizabeth and Margaret with tales of school, while Josh teased Larry and Terry about having girlfriends, which they didn't yet, while Shawn tried to keep the peace.

After supper and dessert, the four teens went to help the twins get ready for bed. The kids received high-fives from Josh and Shawn, and bedtime hugs and kisses from Diana and Lilli. From there, the teens went to the sitting room Diana claimed that was close to her room. They talked a bit about school and what would happen over the week. Josh definitely wanted to go to supper at the Beldens' at least once. Lilli wanted to play with the twins and go riding for the most part. Shawn was just happy to be there and agreed with both requests.

Making the decision to go riding in the morning, they headed off to bed, ready for the first full day of Spring Break the next day.


	7. Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

Lilli woke up in the room she was sharing with Diana. Spying the clock, she squealed, which made Diana shoot straight up and scream. Lilli heard Diana scream and echoed the sound. The next thing they knew, Josh and Shawn barreled into the room, afraid the girls were being attacked.

"What is going on?" Josh demanded, while he slowly got his breath back.

Lilli blushed. "I saw the clock and realized I'd been able to sleep late."

"Late?" Diana screeched. "It's only eight-thirty!"

Lilli got redder. "Um, it's an hour and a half later than we're normally able to sleep." Then she couldn't help it. She honestly tried not to, but started giggling at the expressions on the other three's faces.

Shooting Lilli a dark look, Josh muttered, "May as well get ready for breakfast." He and Shawn, who'd been silent the whole time, turned to leave the room.

"Humph," Diana briefly pouted. "I can't believe I'm awake at eight-thirty on the first official full day of Spring Break. Oh, well. I guess we should get dressed and go before Josh eats everything before we get there."

Lilli had already started changing into her clothes for the day, but nodded at her friend. "True and you said we could ride this morning. Which horse will I get?"

Diana shrugged. "I'm not sure. I know I'm riding Sunny. I guess it's up to you. Midnight might be a good horse for you."

Lilli shook her head in amusement. "The Wheelers have a horse called Starlight, and you have one called Midnight."

Diana giggled. "The horse came with the name. The only reason Midnight was sold at all was because her mother, Red, broke through a barbed wire fence when the original owner was trying to separate them long enough for Midnight to be weaned. Midnight was seven months old at the time."

"Which horses will you put the guys on?"

Diana thought it over. "I'm thinking Josh could handle Precious. Since Shawn isn't an experienced rider, I'll put him on Kool-aid."

With that decided, the girls headed down to breakfast.

After eating a breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup, scrambled eggs with cheese, and bacon, the four headed out to the barn.

As they saddled up, Shawn was doing better. He only needed a little help.

Once they were mounted on the horses Diana had mentioned earlier, Diana's phone rang. "Hello?"

It was Honey, calling to invite them over to ride through the preserve. Diana agreed and they set off towards Manor House.

As soon as they were in sight of the stables, Diana called out a greeting to Regan.

"Well, well, if it isn't the boarding school group," he said, looking over the four. "How have you been, Diana?"

"I've been doing well. Lilli and Shawn helped me in the beginning with some of my more troublesome classes and now I can do most of the work by myself."

Regan also greeted Lilli, Josh, and Shawn individually, and then turned back to Diana. "The others are getting saddled up, even Ben's getting Thunderer out for a bit. Dan's on his way over also."

Diana was confused. "Ben? I didn't know he was here this week."

Regan looked at her incredulously. "He was here last time you were."

"I thought that was just for the holiday."

Regan shook his head. "No, he's interning with Mr. Wheeler's company. He's staying here and going into work with his uncle every day."

Diana smiled. "I'm glad he's growing up. He'll make a great, um, whatever he's going to do. He'll be good at being a business man. He could charm the skin off a snake."

Regan laughed. "That he could, but only if the snake didn't know him well enough not to fall for it."

"Wow. You go away to school for a few months and look at all you miss. I wonder why Honey didn't say anything in her letters. I guess she thought I already knew."

At that moment, everyone came out of the stables leading their horses. There was Jim on Jupiter, Brian on Starlight, Mart on Strawberry, Honey on Lady, Trixie on Susie, and, of course, Ben on Thunderer. Dan also arrived on his old horse Spartan.

There was confusion as everyone greeted each other. Josh managed to somehow get close enough to Trixie and Honey to kiss them on the cheek. They blushed furiously as Josh then made his way over to Diana and Lilli, giving them a peck as well. "Wouldn't want you two to feel left out," he smirked playfully.

Lilli took on an impish grin. "I think Shawn's feeling left out."

Josh was startled, but seeing the daring glint in her eyes, moved over to Shawn, giving him a noisy, smacking kiss on his right cheek. Shawn's face resembled a lobster from his embarrassment.

Diana and Lilli laughed, along with Ben and Dan, who had thought the whole game Josh played was hilarious and Lilli's silent dare even more so. Jim, Brian, and Mart didn't think it was so funny.

Josh shrugged, clearly amused, while mounting back on Precious. "Are we riding or not?"

"Of course, we are," Ben declared.

"We'd better get going before we're late for lunch," Trixie implored. "Moms said she was making a cake for dessert after our sandwiches."

Dan's stomach took that moment to growl. "What time is lunch?" he asked, over everyone's laughter.

Brian shook his head. "If we don't go in the next few minutes, we may as well just groom the horses and return them to their stalls."

Jim had been having trouble reining Jupiter in since he'd mounted. "If we even think about it, Jupe's going to revolt."

After riding for an hour, Diana, Lilli, Josh, and Shawn rode away to return their horses to the Lynch Estate. Diana called back that they'd meet the rest at the Beldens' house. Once they'd let Diana's mother know what was planned, she gave Josh the keys to her old car.

"Why does Josh get the keys?" Diana asked.

"It's a terribly long walk to the Beldens' and he's the only one with a license," was the reply.

No one could argue the common sense of that statement. Diana pouted anyway though, because she hadn't been allowed to get her license the year before when she'd turned sixteen due to her attitude towards her parents. She'd also sulked the entire summer, preventing them from allowing her to take the test then. They'd told her that she could this summer if she shaped-up, in her father's words.

Lunch with the Beldens was a lively affair, and Mrs. Belden was happy to see her three newest adopted children. Once full, everyone offered to help clean up the kitchen, but only Lilli, Josh, and Shawn's offers were accepted. Mrs. Belden wanted to get to know her new three better.

Diana felt a little awkward leaving her three guests to clean up while she wasn't, but the feeling didn't last long because Trixie pulled her further away from the kitchen.

"What's that all about, Trix?" Diana asked, bewildered.

"Why did Josh kiss Honey and me?" Trixie demanded.

Diana rolled her eyes. "He also kissed me, Lilli, and Shawn. He was just kidding and playing around."

"I'm not sure he's the best influence on you, Di," she replied.

Diana huffed. She'd mentioned in her letters that she'd been very happy that she wasn't around people who shortened her name to a word that sounds like an unpleasant verb, but Trixie persisted. Diana had let it go because Trixie had been calling her that since they were five, but it still irritated her. She answered Trixie's reply as civilly as she possibly could. "Ask Lilli about who's influencing whom before you lecture me, please."

Trixie's expression softened. "I don't mean to lecture you. I just can't help but see part of the way you act as the way it was last year. Honey and I worried about you when you started cutting us out and hanging around with those other people."

_You weren't all I was cutting out_, Diana thought. She shook herself out of those thoughts. Soon enough, it was time to leave. Diana felt bad about not really making up with Trixie first, but couldn't deal with the looks and half-said accusations anymore.

She talked her guests into going to the Cameo for a movie since her mother wasn't planning for them to be home until after supper. Ben and Dan invited themselves along. Luckily, a comedy was playing and they all had a good time laughing.

Josh and Ben started complaining of hunger pains afterwards. Dan rolled his eyes and led the way to Wimpy's. Dan and Ben, knowing Diana longer than the others, noticed that she was quieter and wasn't laughing as much as normal. With a silent agreement, Ben distracted the guests with some stories of his own boarding school experience while Dan drew Diana away for a private word.

"What's wrong?" Dan asked her.

"Nothing," she replied. "Trixie just grazed on my nerves today."

"What did she say?"

Diana shook her head. "Just something about how she wasn't sure Josh was the best influence on me. She has no idea what she's talking about though. Even Josh admits he's a better person because of me. Well, not really, but because I wasn't afraid or too bowled over to put him in his place, but still."

Dan chuckled. "She'll get there. It's just hard to see you change, you know? She was always the one with the plan, the one who lead everything. She's just not sure how to deal with you being so independent that you honestly don't need her to lead you. You are a leader now, not a follower. That's a good thing. It means you're finally comfortable with who you are. She will come around. You two have been friends for far too long for her not to see it."

Diana sighed. "I hope you're right. I really do."


	8. Do You Dare to Tell the Truth?

Do You Dare to Tell the Truth?

Later that night after leaving Ben and Dan, the foursome walked into Diana's house. They were greeted by Mrs. Lynch.

"Did you all have fun? What did you do?" she asked, truly interested.

Lilli gave Mrs. Lynch a warm smile. After lunch with the Beldens and helping to clean up, we went to see a movie and then to Wimpy's for supper."

Mrs. Lynch's jaw dropped. "All of you went to the movies and Wimpy's? Mike must have had some fun getting a crowd that large."

Lilli exchanged looks with Josh and Shawn. She didn't know how to say that not everyone had gone.

Diana sighed quietly. "No, Mother, it wasn't all of us. Only the four of us and Ben and Dan went. I got a little annoyed at Trixie and thought it best to leave."

Mrs. Lynch looked at her daughter sympathetically. "What did she do to annoy you?"

Diana lowered her eyes. "She first called me Di, and you know how I hate that, but I let it go. Then, she told me that she wasn't sure Josh was a good influence on me."

Josh's eyes widened. "She thinks I'm influencing you? I hope you told her it was the other way around."

Diana gave a tiny smile. "I told her she should talk to you about who the influence is."

Mrs. Lynch cleared her throat. "It sounds to me that you four need a good, honest talking session. I need to get some sleep. Now shoo." With that, she left the four to eye each other with veiled amusement and wonder.

Shawn shrugged. "We may as well do what she suggests. If nothing else, we'll know each other even better."

Diana led the way to her sitting room and everyone found seats. "Who's first?" she asked nervously.

Shawn cleared his throat. "I'll go first. I have no real secrets. For as long as I can remember, my parents have let me know they loved me. As a small child, I didn't believe them. After all, if they loved me so much why would they leave for work before I woke up and not come home until I was asleep? As I got older, I understood more. They have very little time for me because they are both scientists working for the government. I have no idea what they actually work on, but oh well. They sent me to Rockport in fifth grade. They thought it was important for me to have structure and they thought I'd get more attention than I was getting before. My parents put most of their money back into their research. If it isn't a necessity or savings account, it goes back. I don't have a lot of the same luxury items that a lot of students have, but I have something better. My mom calls me every week to see how I'm doing. I talk to my dad when I've told my mom everything she wants to know." He shrugged self-consciously. "I'm one of the lucky ones."

Lilli decided to go next, just to get it over with. "My story is different. You all know some of it, but there are parts that no one knows because I've been too embarrassed to tell. My grandfather was the one who made the money. My father inherited it not long after he married my mother. When I was born, I was immediately handed over to a nanny. My mother's family was comfortably off, but now that she'd married rich, she had more interesting things to do than to be a true mother. There was shopping and lunching with her friends and trips with my father. Until I was three, I thought the nanny was my mother. Once I learned who my mother was, I tried to get her attention. I also tried with my father, but since he wasn't around much, it was useless. I tried to be perfect until I was in the fourth or fifth grade. By then, I realized being perfect wasn't working. I started to be a brat. I stopped doing my homework and I didn't try on tests. I only did well enough not to fail the grade and be held back. It took them in sixth grade to realize I was barely passing school. The only reason they decided to look at what I was doing was because I began to skip family functions. I played sick if there was somewhere to go. If a party or something was held at home, I just didn't show up. On the few occasions I was forced to show, I did my best to totally misbehave. My parents finally told me that they wanted better grades, so they were shipping me off to boarding school. Then they told me that I was not to be such an attention whore while I was there. Luckily for me, I met Shawn right away. He helped me see that the only way I'd get truly away from my parents is to get a good education so I didn't have to depend on them for anything. Even so, it still hurts when I'm practically told I'm less important than anything else to my parents." By the end, Lilli's eyes were wet and she was trying not to cry. That was a cue for a group hug.

Once Lilli's eyes were dry, Diana and Josh could be seen in a staring contest. They were silently daring the other to go next, until Diana sighed and gave in to Josh's plea.

Diana stared at the wall directly in front of her as she told her story. "When I was little, we were really poor. After my mother gave birth to Larry and Terry, we hardly had any money and we were living in a two-bedroom apartment because we couldn't afford to move. Once Elizabeth and Margaret were born, it was even worse. Not only did we have seven people in two bedrooms, we couldn't really afford enough food for everyone. If it wasn't for the Beldens, I don't think we could have survived. Trixie and I became friends in kindergarten. She noticed that I never brought a lunch and I also didn't have enough money to buy one from school. I never told my mom I was going without. As far as she was concerned, I was eating. In reality, I'd save the money. I planned to give it back to her for Christmas. Trixie shared her lunch with me. She told her mom what she was doing and Mrs. Belden started packing extra, just for me. She would also make casseroles and give my family vegetables that she had canned, always saying that she had way too much to keep. I was in sixth grade when my father got lucky on the stock market. We were so happy. For the first time, all of could have brand new clothes. We all had more than enough food to eat. The twins even got new toys, not just new-to-them toys. The problem was that I'd separated myself from Trixie and the rest of my friends. Some of them started saying I was a snob for always wearing something new to school. Trixie was the only one that really stayed by me. So I invited her over for lunch. She was very uncomfortable. So I never invited her back. It wasn't until Honey moved here that Trixie and I became friends again. Honey helped me realize that I didn't have to change myself because we suddenly had money and she helped Trixie realize that she didn't have to feel weird around me. They finally invited me to join their club. Dan hadn't moved here yet, so he wasn't a member. I was so happy to have friends again. Mart and I always went to things like school dances together. Soon, I decided that he liked me in the way I liked him. So I talked to him about it. After Mart told me he didn't want me as a girlfriend, I felt terrible. I felt like I wasn't good enough. Imagine that, while I was considered the prettiest girl in my class, if not the school, and I was turned down by him. I'm not trying to be vain or conceited, but when you hear something enough, you start to believe it. At first, I wanted to talk to my friends about my pain, but I didn't feel comfortable doing that. Brian was Mart's older brother. I wasn't close enough to Jim to get that personal. Besides, both of them were in their first year of college. Dan was Mart's best friend. Trixie was Mart's younger sister. Honey was too close to Trixie not to tell her anything, or so I felt. That left me alone. Besides all that, Trixie and Honey were constantly solving mysteries every time I turned around. I love them both, but I'm not the Sherlock Holmes type. I won't deny that it's helped me before; I just don't want to be in the thick of it. I went and found other people to hang out with. I skipped school with them. I'd lie to my mother to get permission to go to Trixie's but I'd go to unchaperoned parties instead. I came home drunk once, and my parents were waiting for me. They knew I hadn't been at Trixie's because they'd tried to call when I was late getting home. They grounded me. The only good thing that came from that was that after I'd experienced a hangover, I decided that I'd never do that again. I haven't either. Unfortunately, I still didn't learn my lesson. The last straw was me being brought home by a truancy officer and smarting off to both him and my parents. I was told I'd be attending Rockport a few days later. I'm not sure I ever told you guys this, but in the beginning, I actually wanted to get expelled. I wanted to turn myself in for the pranks I pulled with Josh, but I couldn't without getting him in trouble. And you know how they say to be careful what you wish for because you just might get it? After you guys left right before Christmas, my parents told me I didn't have to go back. They said it was my decision and they didn't care if I wasted half the tuition money by returning to school here. I obviously decided to go back to school with you."

She was blushing once her story was told. She felt like such a spoiled brat after Shawn's and Lilli's stories. She didn't have it bad at all in comparison. She was grateful when Josh cleared his throat to bring their attention to his story.

"I was always the stereotypical rich kid. I didn't care for anyone but myself. The truth was that I was never taught to care. My parents let me do anything I wanted. I skipped school, I got failing grades, I went joy riding at thirteen years old. I even tried to steal a few cars. As far as my parents were concerned, I was normal. They just appeared to bail me out of whatever trouble I'd gotten myself into. I always got what I wanted. I grew up knowing how to manipulate people into giving me anything. If manipulation didn't work, I got over it and decided that those people obviously weren't great people if they could resist me. Sorry, Lilli and Shawn. Anyway, I knew most of Rockport's in-crowd from childhood. Cassandra, Rachel, Victoria, Branson and Daniel come to mind. Their parents are the ones who told my parents I was out of control and to send me to school. Obviously, I was part of that crowd since I'd known some of them from toddler years. I never regretted my upbringing, never regretted my actions, and was happy with who I was until I met Diana. After I met you, Diana, I wanted to change. I wanted to be the type of person who could have a friendship, a true friendship like you have with Lilli and Shawn. For the first time in my life, I saw something I wanted and couldn't get with money or manipulation. So I tried to get it the hard way, by earning it. I have to say that I'm very glad I did. Who knows what I end up like if I didn't have true friends like you guys."

"Aww!" the girls chorused.

Shawn nodded solemnly. "An idiot's happy with the way things are because he doesn't know any different."

"Why, you," Josh mock-threatened him. He playfully punched Shawn in the arm. Shawn just laughed.

Lilli interrupted the fun with a giant yawn. "I feel like I know all of you much better now, but I'm tired."

Diana's eyes widened. "Why don't we go get our pillows and blankets and all sleep in here?"

Josh wiggled his eyebrows. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "As long as no one would mind if they saw us, I say let's do it."

They quickly left and returned with their bedding. As they arranged themselves with the girls in the middle, they reveled in their new-found closeness. They drifted off to sleep, all snuggled together like a litter of puppies.


	9. Spring Break at a Flash

Spring Break at a Flash

It was morning, but none of the group were awake. Mrs. Lynch sent Larry to go wake the boys up and Elizabeth to go wake the girls. Larry saw that the boys' room was empty and went down the hall to Diana's suite, where his younger sister was standing at the door smiling. Elizabeth noticed Larry approaching and put her finger to her lips as she went to meet him.

"What's going on, Liz? The boys aren't in their room."

"I know," she whispered. "Let's go get Mother so she can grab the camera. She'll definitely want to remember this."

After being informed of the plan, Mrs. Lynch went to grab her newest digital camera and made her way to the door of Diana's sitting room. Seeing what Elizabeth thought was so sweet, she was very happy to have been warned to get the camera. There on the floor of the sitting room were four bundles of blankets with heads. Diana and Lilli had snuggled together in the way that only really good friends can, while Josh and Shawn had their backs to the girls in a way reminiscent of protection. She quickly snapped a few photographs from various angles before waking the teens.

Seeing the teens awake, Mrs. Lynch left to print out a few copies of the best picture.

After breakfast, the teens decided to spend the day with the younger kids. They played board games like Monopoly and Mousetrap. They played video games. They even did as the little girls suggested and acted out a play. By the time dinner rolled around, they were more tired than the kids.

The rest of the week went by quickly. They went to the mall in White Plains. They took in another movie. They returned to Wimpy's. They went riding every afternoon.

Friday morning, Mrs. Lynch surprised Diana by mentioning she'd invited the other Bob-Whites and Ben over for the evening. Thankfully, during the afternoon rides, Diana and Trixie had talked and were back to normal.

The four teens spent the day getting things ready for the small party. They set up the game room and by 4:30, everything was ready. Only the food was waiting to be set out. At five, the doorbell rang. The two sets of twins took their jobs seriously and took the newcomers jackets before showing them to the game room, bidding them to have a good time, and going to their own playroom for a night of movies and popcorn.

Greetings were exchanged, the food put out, and plates made. After eating, Diana thought it would be a good idea to start a game.

"Okay," she said, "I have an idea for a game. I have these little pieces of paper with each of our names on them. We'll go in alphabetical order and draw a name. You think of a song title that reminds you of your person. Then everyone else has to guess who the person is. Put the names back in so we don't automatically guess Trixie's person. Ben, you go first."

Ben drew a name. "Uptown Girl." The guesses were between Lilli, Diana, and Honey. Ben revealed that Honey was who he drew. He put Honey's name back in the pile and nodded to Brian.

Brain looked at his paper and said, "Substititiary Locomotion." There was a unanimous guess of Mart. Brian nodded and moved the pile over to Dan.

Dan wriggled his fingers through the pile and found one. He laughed and said, "Down With the Sickness." That caused a bit of laughter, but everyone chose the aspiring doctor. Dan moved the pile to Diana.

Diana looked at her chosen strip. "." Diana laughed and agreed with the Mart guesses.

Honey took her turn next. "Follow Me."

Everyone looked confused at first. Then Diana laughed. "Trixie, of course. Everyone's always following her, right into trouble usually."

Jim took his turn. "Wicked Soul," he said with a wink. "Dan" was the majority guess.

Josh was next. He was nervous because he didn't know the Sleepyside group well. He sighed in relief as he said, "Teddy Bear." Only Lilli and Diana guessed right when they said, "Shawn." Shawn blushed.

Lilli took a deep breath before drawing. "Long way to the Top," she grinned. Quite a few people guessed Ben.

Mart was ready. "Sound of Silence." No one got it. He had to tell his person. "I drew Lilli. She's always so quiet." That statement sent Diana, Josh, and Shawn into hysterics. Mart looked confused. "I guess you have to know her?" he asked. His only answer was a nod from Diana, who'd had her ear talked off a few times by her roommate.

Shawn methodically shuffled through the pile. "Complicated," he stated.

Only Honey guessed that Shawn referred to her brother. "He's the only one that no one understands why his temper is lit by some things but not others."

Trix took her turn. "A Whole New World," she half-stated, half-asked.

"Me," called Ben, jumping up and down. Trixie nodded.

"I have an idea," Lilli said. "Since Diana and Josh were the only ones not selected, I say the rest of us think of a song title for them." The others nodded, and after a short conference, Lilli announced, "Josh, your song is Only the Good Die Young, and Diana, yours is Save Me."

The game was a success, but there was a lull afterwards. Diana looked pleadingly at Josh, who jumped up and said he'd love to play a game of pool. He was joined by Dan, Ben, and Brain. The girls scooted closer together to exchange gossip. Shawn joined Mart and Jim in conversation.

The party broke up a few hours later.

Saturday morning, the four teens blearily made their way to breakfast. They learned that the whole day was scheduled and they needed to get moving.

They ate breakfast and got ready for the day. Then they went to the Beldens' for lunch. Mrs. Belden was very glad to see them again before they left. She made sure they understood that they were now part of her family and that if they needed anything, she'd do her best to help. "These walls are stretchy," She reminded them.

After lunch, Lilli, Josh, and Shawn were shown the Bob-White's clubhouse. From there, they walked up the hill to the Manor House, where they would be dining with the Wheelers, as Honey's parents had been out of town the weekend before and wanted to say hello and good-bye to the new friends. Mr. Wheeler happily offered Lilli and Shawn summer internships with his company after hearing of their plans to go into Business Management.

Lilli jumped on the offer while Shawn was reluctant. "I'll have to see what my parents have planned for the summer. If they're going to be very busy, I'd like to take you up on the offer, but if they've planned to take time off, I'd like to spend it with them."

Mr. Wheeler smiled. "That's just fine. Just let me know. Even if it's only for a few weeks, you'd be welcome."

"Well, now, I feel left out!" Josh exclaimed, to everyone's laughter.

"You'd be allowed to come visit," Diana assured him. "You're just not interested in business for an internship. I'm sure Regan could put you to work though," she grinned.

Josh nodded, mollified. Then he seemed to catch on to what Diana said. "You'd ship me off to that slave-driver?" he almost screeched. That caused another bout of amusement.

After dessert but before it got too late, Diana reminded her guests that they needed to get back to her house to pack and ready themselves for the return trip to school. Diana's chauffer would take them as Brian and Jim didn't have to leave until Monday morning.

With that cue, they said their good-byes and left.

Letting Mrs. Lynch know they were back, they headed to their rooms to begin packing.


End file.
